Managers should be able to access training to be confident, comfortable and inclusive when talking to employees about menstrual health, according to a report from the professional body for human resources.

According to government figures, 98% of the early years workforce is female. The Chartered  Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that more than two-thirds (69%)  of women reported menstruation symptoms had a negative impact on their work.

The report, Menstruation and Support at Work, also found that 53% of women surveyed were unable to attend work at some point in their career because of menstruation symptoms, but nearly half (49%) said they never tell their manager the absence is related to their menstrual cycle, because they felt the problem would be trivialised (45%) or they felt embarrassed (43%).

More than half of those surveyed (53%) said they had received no support from their employer around menstruation symptoms. When asked what support they would find most helpful to manage the symptoms of menstruation at work, 53% of those surveyed said free period products, followed by planned flexible working (44%) and more breaks when needed (41%).

“In my opinion it’s all about high quality leadership,” said Imogen Edmunds, chief executive of Redwing Solutions, an HR consultancy specialising in day nurseries, pre-schools and out of school clubs. “In 2023, no-one should be made to feel bad for sharing that they need to pop home to change their clothes due to a heavy period. The alternative is that they lie and they don’t return to work.

Some nurseries, like Little Angels Day Nursery which has two settings in north London, already provide support including free sanitary products. “We have sanitary products, generally two different size pads, and two different tampons,” said director Georgina Trevor.  “We also have Nurofen and paracetamol for the team, although they have to come and take it from the office, rather than us making it available in the staff toilets like the other products.”

The gesture is appreciated by the team, said Trevor. “We found some of the team were really stressed on the first day of their period if they were caught unawares and would have to ask the office or other staff for sanitary products, which some found really embarrassing,” she explained. “This means they are always covered, and feel cared for by their workplace.”

She added:  “The team consistently use them, and we regularly top up. We have said if people are struggling they can take one or two home if needed and we haven’t found anyone abuses the system or regularly takes large amounts. We put items on our regular shop and perhaps go through a box of tampons and a couple of packs of pads a week, so it only costs about £15 per week; a very small price to pay for a happy team.”

The CIPD makes a number of recommendations in its report including:

• a dedicated section for information and resources on the company intranet
• including reference to menstruation and menstrual health conditions in policies and guidance
• training managers in the diversity of menstruation experiences and the importance of sensitivity and discretion
• managing absence and performance management with compassion and flexibility

Claire McCartney, senior resourcing and inclusion adviser at the CIPD, said:  “Employers can greatly improve the working lives of employees who experience menstruation symptoms by creating inclusive, supportive work environments and training managers to have a better understanding of the impact it can have. A lot can be done without huge cost to businesses including the adoption of more flexible working practices and signposting to external resources.”